The Kestrel Echo*

Working backwards from the successful landing my focus falls first to those doing the work. It is common knowledge that fatigue will give rise to unforced errors, which only further strain available resources. Every endeavor will present unique challenges, balancing how much of this strain falls on available resources is vital. Not mitigating these problems can quickly lead to burnout, a debilitating condition. Instead the team must be protected such that they can reach the end not exhausted, able to remain focused and in complete control. This way they can be ready to meet any last minute challenges efficiently and still have energy to readily embark on the next phase or project.

To begin to be able to achieve this resource balance on-going feedback  is required. Focusing on the critical attributes of a project will make it possible to check the pulse and make adjustments accordingly. What those critical attributes are can only be determined on a case-by-case basis, informed by experience and guided by the expected goals.

Every commercial flight has very clearly understood goals before it begins:- journey cost, final destination, expected time of arrival, and arriving safely of course. The manner in which these goals are achieved is variable, be it by first or economy class. Either way the core goals remain. Situations arise when those core goals must be altered, for instance forced diversion to a different destination or late departure. Yet procedures are already in place to handle the situation professionally. In the same way problems on projects should be anticipated and when they arise be efficiently handled so customer expectation can be guided towards a mutually satisfactory conclusion. Even if that is not inline with the original core goals.

Finally, having the appropriate apparatus to effectively monitor progress and having established procedures to efficiently manage variance from core goals is not only for massive organisations like airlines. It is available to any organisation willing to invest in consistently documenting, reviewing and ultimately learning from their past actions so as to be better prepared for the future.

In summary, I believe it’s clear to say that every soft landing is the cumulative result of every action and resource input previous to that ultimate goal – arriving at the final destination intact and on time. Neither heroics nor additional resources can routinely substitute for closely monitored and finely tuned operational management.